Naha~
Seriously, I kind of get guilty feelings for my random updating-ness because I fear that people (like me) will get used to "quick" updates. I update when I feel like it and hopefully its like once a month or something. I just finished the "impossible" task of trying to write my essay and I got this feeling of indescribable "high" and decided to write another chapter!
Seriously- again- I love y'all who bother reviewing! Yes! Ed is not "half" but he answered that question before he knew his father was involved, yes? Ok, let's get the sorting started!
'. . .' thinking
". . ." talking
Oh~ I don't own either Harry Potter or Fullmetal Alchemist~
Edward Elric found himself staring in shock at the huge man towering over the many students. He held a lamp and when he held it toward his face, Ed could see a sea of black hair and tiny black beads that must have been his eyes. Calling him a giant didn't seem too far from the truth.
'Did someone enlarge him when he was a kid or something? There is always that enlargement charm . . .'
The gigantic man was leading them toward some boats that would bring them to the school. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw other students clambering into a chariot that were being pulled by freakish looking black-skeleton horses. Its wings were tucked and silvery smoke was rising from its- face?- into the dark night. He felt his chest squeeze at the sight of the many black- chimeras? -horses and looked at them in pity.
'This art of magic is so different from alchemy, still it is capable of diving into animal transmutations. . .terrible, ' He mentally winced at the memory of Scar's rebuke, 'This must be the darker side of magic I guess. . .Just like how some alchemists go bad.'
Ron and Harry seemed to have taken it to be their duty to watch after Ed so they pulled Ed along when Ed didn't seem to be approaching the boats like all the other good students. They were a bit disappointed when Ed opted to sit next to Hagrid instead when he shouted the limit of students at the seat.
"Pity too, oh well, " Ron briefly commented when Harry seemed a little hesitant on leaving his "friend" and sitting with two other people- the girl looking for the frog and the owner of said missing frog.
Ed looked at the passing scenery as the boats glided over the river and stared in awe once he caught sight of the great castle.
"O-oy, t-that's a school?" Ed asked in disbelief.
The giant chuckled, "You're not the first to be shocked at the size of the castle, yes that is Hogwarts!" He had a thick accent and had great pride in the school if his voice was anything to measure by.
"Who are you anyways?" Ed asked disregarding the accent- he had met many other people with thicker accents and had no problem.
"Rubeus Hagrid, I am the gamekeeper of the school."
Ed nodded and replied in his same brisk manner, "Edward Elric, Ed is fine. So Hagrid- wait, can I call you that?"
Hagrid seemed surprised but responded in his accented manner, "Sure, surprised you'd ask, You from a muggle family?" Ed opened his mouth to reply but Hagrid cut him off, "Heads down!" he roared as the boats neared a gigantic cliff. Ed ducked his head and briefly noted that Hagrid had to lean all the way down because of his size.
"I was raised by non-magic people since a young age. How come you are so big?" he asked before he could stop himself.
Hagrid chuckled, "Well, you'll see maybe later on. "
Conversation with Hagrid ended at that while Ed kept to himself after that- not wanting to risk talking about his own height. They finally reached the huge castle which the gamekeeper had already introduced to Ed as the school.
"Oy! You there, is this your toad?" Hagrid asked after checking to make sure the kids didn't fall off the boats and were all there.
"Trevor!" the poor kid who lost his toad cried out in appreciation. His snagged the toad and held it between his hands.
Hagrid continued leading the students up the passageway using his lamp as a guiding light and then they were led into the smooth grass in the shadow of the castle. Ed ignored the two boys as they tried to keep up with him- Ed was trying to do his best to keep up with the gatekeeper's strides damnit!
Rubeus called out for the boy to make sure he still had his toad and he knocked on the wooden front door three times.
The door was opened by a stern looking lady- not unlike Hawkeye when she sees that Colonel Mustang skipping his work. She had a bright green robe and Ed made a mental note not to try and cross her. Stern woman like that were his weakness anyways.
This time, Hagrid gave the students into the care of the lady that he called Professor McGonagall.
'She's the one who wrote the letter to me!'
She led them to what must have been the entrance hall and the size so big that he probably could have fit the entire Rockbell shop into it at least twice. It was lit by flaming torches and was it missing a ceiling?!
She led the band of kids onto the flagged stone floor. Ed could hear the sound of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall - did she not want them to join them? The students crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."
Ed stood trying to process the importance of being in a certain house. The way she had said it, each house was noble in its own way. He ignored the calculating stare she had pointed at the other students as they tried to "smarten " themselves up. Obviously, he had put on his robe without a single thing out of place- even if he didn't wear a uniform, it doesn't mean he couldn't put it on properly if he tried!
She left them alone in order to find something and whispers broke out between the nervous students.
"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" asked a nervous Harry.
"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."
Ed recalled the boy named Fred was Ron's older brother and had a twin. A test. . .Ed confidently nodded, it couldn't be something that he- Edward Elric the Fullmetal Alchemist- couldn't take! Then again. . .he didn't have his alchemy. . .Ed angrily brushed that thought out of his head. He still had his wand in his pocket if it was combat related! He ignored the quiet voice in his head reminding him that he didn't know much spells.
"Well, it can't be something of high difficulty cause I bet that they do understand that some students don't practice magic beforehand," Ed cut Hermione off whilst she was in the middle of reciting spells that she knew. She flushed scarlet and merely huffed at him. He turned back to Harry and noticed that he had his hands clenched into fists and was staring at the door that the professor left through. However, his intensive staring was broken by a shrill scream.
Ed whipped his head around and quickly had his hands positioned in front of himself- ready for any creature that would pop out - completely ignoring the fact that the time limit wasn't up yet and that he isn't able to perform alchemy just yet.
The sight in front of him made him desperately want to just curl back onto himself and to be told it was nothing but a dream. In front of him were pearly white and slightly transparent wisps that glided through the air. His arms fell weakly to his sides as he heard- once again- the desperate shrieks of his brother and his frustrated cry throughout the night. He staggered and clenched both his fists and his teeth- trying to will the apparitions away.
However, when one of them started speaking, he felt himself crack internally.
"How? Why?"
One of the ghosts cackled, "Never seen a ghost you tinsy weeny first year?"
Ed mutely nodded- dismissing the fact that the ghost had just called him tiny. 'Why? This should be possible? Ghosts? Does that mean that mother can still be alive? Ah, if only she had become a ghost and stayed by our side. . .we could never had even tried and continued. . .living as just normal kids. . .' As soon as this thought came up to Ed, he shook it off quickly, 'No, there would have been more sacrifices then, Amestris could be destroyed then. . .its the past, we are done with it! Alphonse is back and our lesson is learned. Nothing more than that. . .Life's circle cannot be simply altered with wistful thinking.'
Finally the professor had come back and retrieved the petrified students. When she had appeared, the ghosts had immediately floated through a different wall. With a quick order from the lady, Ed almost saluted in response but held back the urge and instead stood in a line behind Ron and was led into an even bigger room with floating candles over 4 very long tables. They had a lavish golden plates and goblets- what a waste of money (if it wasn't just something transfigured that is)!
At the top of the huge hall there was another table where the professors was sitting. Professor McGonagall led the line so that they were facing the students and their backs were to the teachers. He noticed the sea of pupils staring at him and he stared right back. He noticed that the ceiling was enchanted right after Hermione said it was to Harry. The professor placed a four-legged stool in front of the waiting children and she put a pointed hat that was quite tattered onto the chair.
Ed stared at the hat as did the other students. 'Is this enchanted? Is it suppose to measure the amount of magical energy or something to place us in 'proper' houses?'
The hat surprised him when instead, the hat twitched and a corner near the brim of the hat ripped open and a sort of singing came out of it.
From what Ed got out of it's weird lyrics, the houses were chosen based off of the personalities or what they wanted to do in the future.
It seemed so judgmental of these "wizards" to have a special word to call non-magic people and the way they used it to belittle those who aren't born with magical capabilities. Still, Ed was willing to ignore that piece of his mind that was upset about the different sorting houses.
'There must be a reason why people are being separated like that. Maybe its so that they could find friends easily or to be able to connect with those similar to them.'
The whole crowd broke out in applause when the song ended and Ed could hear the Ron kid sounding relieved because the task was simple. Ed bit out, "Treasure your siblings, there will be a time where they won't always be there for you," once he felt a bit more calm.
Ron flushed and mumbled, "Figuratively, sheesh. . ."
Harry curiously asked Ed, "Are you not nervous?" Harry pushed his weight more so he was on his heels, "I mean, you look pretty calm about all of this. . .Are you confident you will be put where you want to be placed?"
Ed merely shrugged, as if he was going to let being put in a certain house put him down, "It doesn't matter too much. It simplifies the process of finding friends if that is what you are concerned about. Anyways, the hat puts you in the house it believes you will do well it, you don't have to force yourself to be like the ones in the house if that is what you don't want to be like them." He gave both Harry and Ron a wry smile, "I mean, this house puts you where you belong in so why worry?"
Harry nervously breathed out his reply, "Slytherin is definitely a house I don't want to be placed in. . .All I hear are bad stuff about it and they all look mean."
Ron furiously nodded in agreement, "Have you not heard what I said about them and You-Know-Who? They are the ones that ended up following him and became his supporters! None of them have turned out to be good!"
Ed bit back in an equally furious tone, "What right do you have to say that about people? One or two, I can understand your statement for but to say that about a whole house? Have you no shame? The winners write history, judging from what I know about this guy I'm suppose to know, he lost! So of course the other houses could say and judge however they want. Because they won, their voices were put into the books that you read. Anyhow, is this guy I'm suppose to know Moldy-warts? Then just call him by his name! Sheesh, Moldy-warts, who could resist not saying that!"
Ed cackled under his breath, "Anyhow, you guys should be more accepting, I mean, I am not gonna judge you on calling the non-magic people 'muggles' but don't just throw that word as an insult ok?"
"Elric, Edward!"
Ed tossed his hand behind him as a way of waving to them, "Well then, let's see how I'll turn out and you guys could base the houses you will get from my house choice, no?"
Ron's jaw dropped as Ed's furious tone dropped to the one with playfulness."That guy is mad, he knows nothing about the Slytherins. . .None of them turn out to be good."
Harry, however, was biting his lips in anticipation to the voice of the sorting hat to call out the house of the smaller blond boy with bright golden eyes. Ron huffed slightly to himself but couldn't deny the fact that he was also looking forward to the house that the bookworm-ish, brave, determined and loyal boy would be placed into.
Ed stood before the stool before picking it up by the brim, placing on his head and taking a seat.
His view of the sea of curious eyes was blocked when the hat fell over his head instead of staying on top of it like it was suppose to. In fact, all of the other sounds were cut off and Ed heard nothing of the students voices.
"Hello, Edward was it?"
Ed held in the need to jump when a voice emerged from the silent darkness.
'What about it?' he mentally grumbled but before he could open his mouth to voice his thoughts, the hat spoke first.
"Ah, that's good enough, can hear you loud and clear! Your thoughts were a mess so I thought it was best to call out first."
'Cut the crap, bet you weren't all this with the students. What do you want?'
"Why must it be what I want?" Ed could practically feel the Hat's grin, "That's not important. Such impatience doesn't look good for you, especially since I am going to be the one deciding your fate for the next 7 years."
Ed grunted, 'if you could really read my thoughts, you would know that such placements means as much to me as to which bed I would sleep in. Since you are to place me in the place where my personality would reign, I can't find it within me to put up a fight and pretend to be someone I am not.'
"Interesting, interesting. So the different houses mean nothing to you? I know that you are certainly not what you look like. . .Do you have any certain preferences before I start into the journey of your head?" Ed didn't voice his thoughts and the sorting hat could tell he had none so it dove through Ed's thoughts and even looked through his memories- trying to find at least one determining factor for his house.
"Brave, ever so brave in your expedition. . .I see a lot of bravery, that is shown by the attitude you put up for your surgery- at such a young age too! Oh, not a single scream. . .A very daring act you had there- trying to bring back the dead! Good Gryffindor candidate!"
Ed gripped his robe between his fists tighter. "Can't say that it was not ambitious on your part. Wanted to test the unknown? I see that is a very common theme within your memories. . .Joining the military at the age of 12. .hm. . .going off to train at the island to get more skill- oh! Gryffindor trait too!- that must have been why we missed you. . ." the hat trailed off and Ed mentally urged him to continue.
"Ah! Not done with Slytherin yet! It was very resourceful of you to join the military because of the branches, very cunning too with slipping under enemy's radar, nice job! You willingly put up with the troubles in order to achieve your goal of saving your brother.
"Speaking about the branches, I see you possess tremendous amount of knowledge and intelligence. Ever since you were a kid you liked reading? The Grey Lady would love and enjoy an exchange of knowledge then, I see. Ravenclaw is a very plausible choice. . .
"Hard work! Why, I can see that your whole life has been dedicated to that almost- if not- entirely! Suck loyalty is also shown to both the military and your brother. Hufflepuff is not to be neglected either! Not sure exactly how much you dabble down on fair play, however, " the hat teasingly trailed off.
'I have a single question for you.'
"My identity? Well, based off your question, you are leaning closer to-"
'No. Before you friggen announce it, tell me. What are you?'
"Simply a hat with a mind of its own. Magical enchantments. You'll learn all about them if you use your skills that I can see resting inside of you. However, it does seem kinda fun if I were actually a soul bound object. Sadly, by your memories, if I were actually one, I wouldn't be here now would I? Rejection of a soul, sad thing. . .
"As for you hidden question, those are called Thestrals."
Before Ed could ask what the hat meant, he had to wince at the sheer volume of the hat as it roared out one house name.
Haha~
Aren't I tricky? Ending it right there~
Truth is, I am kinda putting up the house that Ed is gonna be in for debate. Judging on the responses I can get from you guys, I can consider putting him in a different house.
No, this isn't to try and "threaten" you guys into reviewing. I just want to know your honest opinion on what house Ed should be in- add in some reasons too!
This scene could have turned out to be completely different from what I came up with. Both Painful Penguin (My sis- she isn't a real user on fanfic! Just a code between us) and I joked about this particular scene.
"Gry`"
"Hu-"
"Sly-"
"Ra-"
And over again ^~^ I thought it would be fun and it was also because I keep doubting what class Ed should be put in. Depending on what house I choose, update schedules will shift- either way, once a month is my goal!
Peace out y'all! Hope you all enjoyed this chap!
(Oh yea, should every chapter be like this in length?)
